Rights advocate Godano Yusuf's big dream for girls from pastoral communities

Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) Advocate Godano Yusuf was born and grew up in Isiolo County. She is involved in women's rights advocacy issues such as the fight against Female Genital Mutilation (FGM), the right to education and economic empowerment.

She spoke to The Eastleigh Voice's Reporter Barack Oduor during International Women's Day.

Q. Why are you passionate about youth advocacy?

A: Experiencing the power and knowledge that other young people have is a good motivation for me as I continue this rights advocacy as I seek to ensure that every girl in the Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) communities is free from the constant hurdles that have been placed for her.

Q. You have been championing sexual reproductive health and rights in ASAL communities. What are your reasons for this?

A. Experiencing the challenges and barriers women and girls face in ASAL regions in accessing services and information around sexual reproductive health fuels me to share the information and continue educating these women and girls.

Q. What are some of the challenges that girls and women face in ASAL communities?

A. The barriers and challenges that women in ASAL regions experience are multifaceted and intersectional, factors like lack of accurate information on SRHR, inaccessibility of services in these regions, poverty levels and cultural and religious beliefs also play a part in the challenges.

Q. What are some of the initiatives you are involved in to mitigate the suffering that girls and women face in ASAL communities?

A: I am involved in issues around advocacy for women and girls. We want to see girls in school and not in early marriages. I am also involved in highlighting the importance of education to girls in my community because this is the best way to empowerment.

Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Advocate Godano Yusuf. (Photo: X/Godano Yusuf)

Q. You refer to yourself as a daughter of a pastoralist. How was it growing up in a pastoral community family?

A. I was born to Borana parents and in a very cultural family, but I was lucky because both my parents were educated and they knew the risks that is associated with FGM.

I can say that it was luck for me and some of my friends not to have gone through the traumatic experience of undergoing FGM. I can say that it is education that saved me and my sisters.

For my fellow women from pastoral communities, I want to redefine what a pastoralist girl is for my community and a lot of the other pastoral communities.

Q. You are the chairperson of ICPD 25 Youth Coalition Kenya. Which organisation is this and what are your roles there?

A: The ICPD25 is a coalition of youth-led and youth-serving organizations across Kenya that brings together partners that are implementing the ICPD 25 commitments in Kenya and promote mutual social accountability of the commitments. It's a coalition that now has over 250 member organizations around Kenya.

Q. You have mentioned that you are a film director and quantity surveyor. Tell us more about these roles.

A: I went to university to study quantity surveying because as far as I remember, I always loved buildings and was fascinated by them, but my passion for social development in my community was still very alive. I have also decided to use film and storytelling to pass messages and information to my community on issues of FGM, child marriages and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR).

Q: What is your parting shot to the youth?

A. It's important for young people to innovate and create change on issues we are going through but let's not forget that the old were young at one point and you do have invaluable knowledge and experience that we should tap into and use to help us achieve our goals faster.